Susan Horowitz

Her Story: While living in LA in the late ’80s, Susan Horowitz saw a pair of bedazzled Keds at Nordstrom and thought to herself, “I can do that!” Soon she was creating a line of sneakers and baseball caps, sourcing embellishments from LA’s garment district. Her hats flew off the shelves at Fred Segal and were featured on The Arsenio Hall Show.

Entrepreneurial Spirit: Now living a quieter existence in Minnetonka, Horowitz creates a collection of lavish baubles sold under the name SHE Exclusive Designs. Using everything from glowing freshwater pearls, hand-tumbled turquoise, and sparkly Swarovski crystals to found objects and vintage finds, Horowitz creates distinctive necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Her magical mix—feminine pearls with rough-hewn labradorite, chunky agate with polished metal—and oversized scale have a quirkiness and unexpected quality perfect for fashion’s current trend toward statement ornamentation.

Charmed, We’re Sure: The best part of Horowitz’s jewelry is often the clasps, which she encourages wearing in the front. “I love finding a great clasp and designing around it,” she says, adding that she scours gem shows, antique stores, and “the bottom shelves” of jewelry supply stores to find one-of-a-kind items.

Find SHE Exclusive Designs at Whymsy, Galleria, 952-924-4176 or Side Door Ltd., 647 E. Lake St., Wayzata, 952-473-1937. To schedule a private viewing or home show, call 952-201-6176.